Chitchat thread #24

[Snoop Puss]

I was thinking of buying the Pudding Club book for Mr Gf's very elderly friend for Christmas.... the one who wanted to know how to make breadcrumbs. He likes the puddings he remembers from his childhood. Are the recipes simple enough for a beginner?

The recipes are mostly very short. But they do include terms like dropping consistency, fold, soft batter, well-beaten egg whites. The only real instructions are on covering the pudding basin prior to steaming. For a total beginner, I'm not sure. But if you were to make one or two with him so he can follow what you're doing, that should be OK, especially if you choose the ones he's most likely to want to make. He'll need a bit of kitchen equipment too like a sieve, whisk and pudding basin. I bought my copy of the book secondhand from Bahmut in the UK via Abebooks. No idea why, but when I go to AbeBooks, it always shows dollar prices rather than euros or pounds. But have a look here: https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/Sea...-_-ISBN-_-used

[Snoop Puss]

Morning all.

Cloudy here and a cooler start to the day than yesterday. Still wearing shorts, though with long socks now. Must look very odd, but what do I care? I never have to look at my legs except when I'm putting socks on. Meanwhile, Mr Snoop is outside breaking up sticks for kindling...

I got up quite early today but the smiles were already gathering for the off, so I'm not sure whose direction they were heading in first. Hope they get to make the full rounds and don't get stuck at LD's.

Got a busy day on the cards again, so better get a move on.

Have a great day, everyone.

[Nicos]

I was thinking of buying the Pudding Club book for Mr Gf's very elderly friend for Christmas.... the one who wanted to know how to make breadcrumbs. He likes the puddings he remembers from his childhood. Are the recipes simple enough for a beginner?

Very simple yes. Some are for cooking in the oven and others are for steaming.
I bought two second hand ones off Amazon, one for me and one for my daughter.

There’s a summer version too I think.

[greenishfing]

The recipes are mostly very short. But they do include terms like dropping consistency, fold, soft batter, well-beaten egg whites. The only real instructions are on covering the pudding basin prior to steaming. For a total beginner, I'm not sure. But if you were to make one or two with him so he can follow what you're doing, that should be OK, especially if you choose the ones he's most likely to want to make. He'll need a bit of kitchen equipment too like a sieve, whisk and pudding basin. I bought my copy of the book secondhand from Bahmut in the UK via Abebooks. No idea why, but when I go to AbeBooks, it always shows dollar prices rather than euros or pounds. But have a look here: https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/Sea...-_-ISBN-_-used

Thanks Snoop. He does have all the equipment as, until she died a few years ago, his wife used to cook from scratch.

[Nicos]

I think he’d enjoy you running through recipes with him. Espesh if you and your OH got to sample the wares too
A weekly get together running through his favourite recipes would be a fantastic winter activity too.
The added company whilst trying them out would be part of the gift too!

Snoop’s right - the ones I quickly scanned through looked simple but for some of the others they are basically simple when he knows what they mean.

[nick the grief]

I can recommend the Pudding club cookbook GF ... I bought it years ago and we're slowwly working our way thru it. They do a summer puddings cook book too but I prefer the good old suet puds that lie heavy on the stomach

My favourite is the sussex pond pudding made with a whole lemon and a load of butter and sugar all wrapped in a suet crust ... and Birds custard ... has to be Birds

[greenishfing]

I can recommend the Pudding club cookbook GF ... I bought it years ago and we're slowwly working our way thru it. They do a summer puddings cook book too but I prefer the good old suet puds that lie heavy on the stomach

My favourite is the sussex pond pudding made with a whole lemon and a load of butter and sugar all wrapped in a suet crust ... and Birds custard ... has to be Birds

Nick I am not really a pudding fan ......unless it contains vast amounts of chocolate and cream.....or.....occasionally......lemon. I'm the person who complained in Thorntons coffee shop that they didn't have anything gooey and sickly enough. I have always half fancied Sussex Pond Pudding as a change from my lemon meringue pie....maybe a book for me too.

I have done the grory hop. I left Mr GF in the car with his newspaper. Maybe a good job I removed the keys as evidently an old lady was getting into the drivers seat when he realised it wasn't me. I presume she was having a "senior" moment. I can't really see her wanting to kidnap Mr GF.

I have noticed how all the Christmas stuff is already sneaking into the shops, last week I saw chocolate santas. I moan about it happening in October generally but Mr GF was overjoyed when a pannetone sneaked into my trolley today. I have attempted to make it in the past but it has never tasted as good as the bought ones.

[lottie dolly]

good after noon all,nice to see and felt a bit of sun outside,been dead heading my new plants thanks to the recent weather,a meal is not complete without a pudding,or pudding instead off,what is a diet,Snoop they are not stuck here,i make sure they are safe,as they are very precious,meantime i have to do some tyding up,got toms all over the conservatory,as they ripen i am washing and freezing,am also in the middle of altering a purchased blouse,it was too big,and lost the receipt for return,seems not many places you can try before you buy,Bramble sounds like you're having a really good time nice to hear,these days things seem to take that long,i often wonder not only how i did as much in earlier life,but am i just darned lazy,

[Nicos]

I prefer the good old suet puds that lie heavy on the stomach :

Me too …thing is I’m still carrying those puddings on my stomach, hips and thighs from at least the mid 80’s

[rary]

Nicos if you are still carrying those puddings from the mid 80's is that date or age🤔

Good evening, again I couldn't get on earlier, don't know what is causing it, whither it's something I am doing wrong or external.
Today was actually dry and reasonably mild, temperature was up at 14c, so once back from shopping I took the dogs out for a walk then after that I cleaned out some pots and replanted with pansies, while doing that ofcourse the rain started. Have a good day tomorrow and pass on some smiles

[Nicos]

Mornin n’alln’all

Dark innit?
Not long now though until we get the lighter mornings

Talking about sewing lottie - we came to make up a couple of single beds yesterday for our new guests only to find both duvet covers had been played with by Hibou when I’d left them over the back of the sofa.
And yes…hunter that she is, she’d been playing at gutting them with her back feet and both have been badly torn/ shredded. It’s all within the top 15cm of both of them so I’m wondering if I could get away with cutting off the top 15 cm and making a new top seam. Do you think we could get away with having the duvet in effect 15 cm shorter than usual. It’s such a waste as the these have only been used about 10 times as they were the back up duvet covers

Hope everyone is fine?
Kettle’s on…..

[Bren In Pots]

Morning

I'd give it a go Nicos you've nothing to lose but the time it takes, the other option is add a piece of fabric to make up what was damaged.

Apple picking and juicing this morning.

Enjoy your day

[Snoop Puss]

Morning all (just).

You've not got much to lose, Nicos, as Bren says. Have you got time to do it?

Cloudy today. No rain forecast, again. Still absurdly warm though. Last night it was still 24 ºC when I went to bed at gone eleven.

Plenty to keep me busy today, so better get a move on. Have a good one, all.

[mothhawk]

Morning all. Sun and showers here, I wish it would make its mind up. it's windy, so one minute the sky is blue with fluffy white clouds, the next moment the whole sky is black as cinders and rain bashes the windows. i've made a big batch of breadcrumbs this morning, from a loaf that didn't turn out right. I think I mis-measured the water content and it turned out a brick. I shall use the crumbs to attempt Christmas puddings, something I've not made before. So I need to add dried fruit and suet to tomorrow's grory hop.

No idea why, but when I go to AbeBooks, it always shows dollar prices rather than euros or pounds. But have a look here: https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/Sea...-_-ISBN-_-used

Snoop, scroll to the end of the site page and click on the UK site, then bookmark that instead of the US one.

[Snoop Puss]

Snoop, scroll to the end of the site page and click on the UK site, then bookmark that instead of the US one.

Thanks, sorted.